The people of Adaklu-Have have long depended on slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal production as their livelihood strategies. Alongside these activities, hunting for bush meat as the surest source of protein is a long cherished activity. The peak of the hunting is usually during the harmattan when bush burning is very common.

Today, the rapidly growing human population and the diminishing resources of fertile land coupled with decrease in soil flora and fauna, present major problems in the area.
Deforestation therefore in the Adaklu-Have area is as a result of indiscriminate bush burning, fuel wood and charcoal production, poor farming system-(slash and bum) wanton hunting for bush meat, inadequate knowledge and information on the value of trees and animals species. Increasing deforestation is closely related to poverty of the people.
The area is poor and lacks basic social amenities such as health and telecommunication facilities. Women and the youth who form the most vulnerable bracket in the area carry out most of the aforementioned activities for their survival, and thus destroy forest cover and biodiversity in the area.

As a consequence, the wealth of the area is being depleted especially tree species such as Odum, Mahogany, Afram, and Softwood. Identified cash crops such as Palm trees, and Citrus are often destroyed. Moreover, animal species such as monkeys, grasscutter, antelopes and reptiles of varied kind, fall prey to the frequent bush burning.

Practically, no organization addresses this issue or attempted to conserve biodiversity in and around Adaklu-Have. The Development Office of the Catholic Diocese of Ho has initiated certain measures already to restore forest cover and to eventually increase biodiversity in the area, on a pilot basis. For instance, a total land surface of 100 acres has already been properly acquired at Adaklu-Have for agro-biodiversity conservation, tree planting and alternative livelihood strategies suitable to the area.
Furthermore, the young brothers - Volta Friars have received some preliminary training in tree growing and environmentally friendly projects and are engaged in beekeeping and palm plantation around their friary. Their capacity will be useful for the programme when it is launched. The human "negative" activities responsible for the degradation of the Adaklu-Have lands and its environs are being perpetrated, to such a height that it requires urgent attention and action and appropriate measures to confront and restore the free gift of nature, ¬land, prevent increasing loss of biodiversity, forest cover, wild life and other resources within the area described above. When the situation is not reversed completely, eco-tourism potentials hardly develop and agricultural productivity greatly reduces.
In view of the above analysis, it is quite clear, the role forest and wildlife play in our life. The interplay of both wildlife and forest improves quality of life; hence to conserve and protect their use is very paramount in this programme. It is therefore very strategic to restore biodiversity of the Adaklu-Have Community so that their demand for bush meat, charcoal and fuel wood will be sustainably managed.

PROBLEM DEFINITION

The attempt at restoring forest cover and conservation of biodiversity in Adaklu-Have area will contribute to generate wealth creation and improve quality of life of the people of Adaklu Have Community. The reasons for the above assertions are that the project seeks to curb indiscriminate hunting for bush meat and bush burning. It is hoped that through vigorous education and community sensitization, illegal felling of economic trees by chain saw operations will be minimized.

It is realised that charcoal production and felling of trees for fuel wood is linked to poverty. The people of Adaklu-Have are peasant farmers who heavily depend on rain-fed agriculture. Returns from this activity hardly suffice for household upkeep. As a result of that many young men and women resort to charcoal production and sale of fuel wood as their coping mechanism at the expense of the natural environment. To regulate these negative practices, the project will divert resources into environmentally friendly activities such as glasscutters rearing, snail farming, mushroom and beekeeping as alternative livelihood support, which will generate income for many of the households. Many of them can begin using gas cookers or electric stoves as they could afford them. Construction of kiln would help produce charcoal without degrading the forest cover. A long term investment the project intends to integrate is fish farming which will step up Youth employment and wealth creation.

Furthermore, the rate of depletion of the forest cover and the extinction of many species invite serious concerns from Organisation like the Catholic Church. To mitigate this situation in Adaklu-Have, a one hundred acre land has been secured to pilot tree planting and biodiversity conservation, in addition to general community tree planting and other environmentally friendly activities as specified in the programme of activities will be integrated to enhance rippled effects of the programme .

Moreover, soil fertility and productivity are declining; farming practices often extract organic matter without adequate replacement. This means that precipitation runs off, without being absorbed and used by crops. Conventional slash and burn and poor tillage cause some of these problems. It is important to arrest this situation before it gets out of hand. The project would facilitate reduction of soil disturbance to a minimum while keeping a cover of crop residues on the surface. Crop rotations and green manure cover crops can as well help. This kind of "Conservation agriculture" has immense benefits such as better infiltration and retention of moisture, higher yields, increased soil organic matter and less burning of crop residues.
It is in addressing some of the economic needs of the people with sound education and creating opportunities for alternative livelihood support system that deforestation, destruction of wildlife habitat and loss of biodiversity and wanton depletion of resources in the Adaklu-Have communities and its environ could be addressed.

It is in view of the above critique of the environmental situation in Adaklu-Have that the Diocesan Development Office has taken the initiative to restore and conserve biodiversity in the area and soliciting herein the assistance of the GEF/SGP to seriously support the programme since it falls principally within their focus area, of current national action plan.

PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
GOAL
To promote Agro-biodiversity, community forests, and semi-wild species conservation in the degraded Lands of Adaklu-Have traditional area through sustainable land management approaches, innovative approaches and market mechanisms

Specific Objectives:

1. Facilitate building of local capacities for the restoration of agro-biodiversity in the project area.
2. Promote enhancement of sustainable natural resource management in the Adaklu-Have area.
3. Encourage and promote alternative livelihood support system to boast biodiversity conservation strategy in the area.
4. Facilitate and coordinate improvement of soil fertility and conservation practices, among the local communities.

EXPECTED RESULTS/OUTPUTS
1. Restoration of biodiversity and building of local capacities facilitated and developed.
2. Sustainable natural resource management system established and promoted
3. Relevant livelihood support systems encouraged and enhanced.
4. Soil conservation and fertility improvement practices encouraged and sustained.
5. Community sensitization and awareness raising on tree growing deepened and alternative livelihood sources improved.